Chaeles g



(No Model.)

C. G. DOBBS.

BUCKLE.

No. 319,889. Patented June 9. 1885.

W i-tnesus'es/ NITED" STATES ATENT F CHARLES G. DOBBS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,889, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed May 1, 1885. (No model.)

1' 0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES G. DOBBS, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement has been devised with more special reference to the needs of the invention in shirts patented to me July 18, 1882, No. 261,318; but the buckle in which my said improvement-is embodied is also adapted for use in other connections.

The object is to obtain a simple, cheap, and efficient buckle, in which the tongue is spring closed and shuts with a snap.

The nature of my improvement and the manner in which it is or may be carried into effect will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which represent a double-ended buckle, or one having a tongue at each end, constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure l is a perspective view of the buckle with a tape or piece of fabric held by one of the tongues. Fig. 2 is atop plan of said buckle. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal central section of the same with one tongue raised. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the tongues detached.

The frame A of the buckle is made in rectangular form of sheet metal, which is struck up with a concavo-convex rim, with a view to imparting the requisite stiffness to the frame. It has stamped out from it the wide end slots or openings, a, for the passage of the straps or tapes to be held by the tongues, and the narrow transverse central slots, 1), in which the tongues B are inserted. Each tongue is made of sheet metal, with, preferably, serrated front or acting edge, and a rear end which is bent over, as shown, so as to be at about right angles to the body of the tongue. The bent end, at its rear edge, has a central swell, c, as shown, and from the side edges of the said bent end project small lugs d, which form the axles or journals on which the tongue turns.

Applied to the under side of the buckleframe A is an H shaped spring-acting frame, 0, which is made of sheet metal. The two side strips of this frame are applied to the under face of the sides of the buckle-frame,

the arrangement being such that the strips while they will yield to permit the tongue to be lifted will, nevertheless, by its spring action, tend to close the tongue and to keep it closed.

' The spring-acting frame 0 is fastened in place after the tongues are inserted in proper position in their respective slols b, and it thus serves to retain them in place, the lugs 01 being held between the two parts A G, and the tongues being always under control of the spring-acting frame through the swells c, which bear upon the central portion ofthe crossstrips of said frame. By this arrangement I obtain all the spring action needed, and at the same time bring the parts into convenient shape, and produce a durable and efficient buckle.

What I claim herein as new and of my own invention is The buckle-frame proper and the tongues arranged to work in slots therein and provided each on the rear end with aswell or protuberance between the sides of the tongue, in combination-with the spring-acting retaining-frame on the under side of the bucklefranie proper, formed or provided with one or more cross-strips, 6, upon which bear the swells or protuberances on the rear ends of the tongues, substantially as set forth.

' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of April, 1885.

CHARLES G. DOBBS.

Witnesses:

S. VAN ZANDT, SoLoMoN K. OSBORN. 

